Hook, Line and Sucker
by Decide
Summary: It what happens when Rangeman Security takes perspective clients on a fishing trip. Babe HEA, Joe Morelli doesn;t appear at all.


Hook, Line and Sucker

A/N: Not mine, it's hers. Repost of a challenge response to writing a fishing scenario for at B_S. Reposted here as a request by Margaret.

I don't know how I get roped into these things. Here it was a hot day in July; a heat wave had gripped Trenton. I had a vacation day coming and was I going to the beach? Oh no, not I! I was going fishing with Ranger, some of the guys, a prospective client and his wife.

So here I was at the ungodly hour of six in the morning, in this fishing gear, I had these rubber waders up to my waist, a long sleeve cotton shirt and fishing hat. Can you sign me up for What Not to Wear? No self-respecting Jersey girl would ever be caught dead in this garb and then again there is me. I guess I lost my self-respect a long time ago when I first wrestled with garbage going after a skip.

I'm sure that the fish are not even awake at this hour, but I made a promise to Ranger and I would not let him down. He's never let me down. I hope to do what's right by him too, so it's a done deal.

My locks to my door tumbled and in walked Ranger. How come he looks sexy in latex and I look like a surgical glove.

"Earth to babe," Ranger said.

"Huh, oh, I'm almost all ready. I just needed to douse myself in this combination of bug repellant and sunblock. Without them I would be red and bumpy mess. "I'm ready, why again am I going?"

"Simon Torrance is the head of Appleton Motors he considering us for the security here and three other facilities in the tri-state area. He wants to go flying fish in the Delaware River and he doesn't like to go anywhere without his wife Celeste, since she loves to fish."

"Okay, just double checking, I am up and ready, let's go."

"Proud of you, Babe. You never disappoint."

"Yeah, I'm a real fisherman or is that fisherwoman."

"Doesn't matter."

"Guess not."

"Where are the guys?"

"They're downstairs and then we're picking up the Torrances."

"Let's do it then."

I put on my game face and hope to make the best of a bad situation. Why couldn't Mrs. Torrance like to go to the mall and shop? That is an activity I can relate to, not fishing. While other girls in high school were dating, playing sports or were cheerleaders, I shopped. You can say that shopping was my extra curriculum activity.

One, I majored in business with a minor in marketing in college so that I could parlay my interests into a career. Later I had a dream job when I was lingerie buyer for EE Martins. All plans were dashed when I was fired due to budget cuts. It is then that I went into bounty hunting and into the orbit of one Ricardo Carlos Manoso, street name Ranger, my boss, best friend and for one glorious night, lover. I wish we could be more but that man doesn't do relationships. Oh well, back to our story, sorry for the stroll down memory lane.

After we left the apartment we went down the stairs, rubber waders squeak as you walk in them. It made kind of rude noise and it embarrassed me. This had to be the longest flight down steps in the earth's history and I'm not exaggerating. Thankfully Ranger was in a zone and seemed to be paying no attention to me or the noise. When we got downstairs a Ford Explorer was waiting in the parking lot and wouldn't you know it the Parking Gods honored it with a prime parking spot. How come that never happens to me!

"Beautiful, you remind me of my lost rubber ducky. Care to bathe with me later." Lester leered, waggling his eyebrows.

My response was to roll my eyes at him.

"Santos, sometimes you don't use your head. Baiting the boss with the Bomber is just plain dumb." Tank said.

"But ain't it fun to get a rise out of him, shows he is human after all." Les continued ignoring the big guy's words.

"He's human, just too controlled."

"Guys," I said in a loud stage whisper. "Ranger is right here. Aren't you afraid that you're going to piss him off?"

"Nah , Abuela Rosa loves me too much for Ranger to do anything to me. Isn't that right cousin Carlos?"

"Keep it up, Santos and Abuela will never know what the heck happened to you." Tank interjected. "You can drown with waders on and they will never find the body."

I must have looked at Tank in horror because he let out a booming laugh that vibrated in my ears. I went to sit in the back but Ranger stopped me and said, "Babe, sit up here with me. The guys will sit in the back and the Torrances will sit in the middle."

"Okay, sounds good to me," I replied. I hoped I didn't have a moonstruck expression on my face. Lately, it has been harder and harder for me to keep my feelings for Ranger under wraps. I knew without a doubt that I loved him with all my heart. Struggling to keep my emotions in check I was wondering about the Torrances when we arrived at their hotel.

An elderly but sprightly couple in their middle seventies was waiting for us by the curb. They both had silver hair and looked how I imagined the Clauses to look. You know jolly and round like Santa and Mrs. Claus. We made our introduction sand were on the way to the Delaware River about a half hour away.

The motion of the car and the early wakeup call caused me to fall asleep as soon as we pulled away from the curb. It wasn't until the SUV came to its destination that I woke up again.

We all left the car, got the fishing gear that was stowed in the rear of the vehicle and went to a clearing by the river. There were even chairs in case we got tired, guess Ranger knows who he's dealing with me.

Mrs. Torrance was nice enough when I engaged her in direct conversation but seemed very angry when I addressed a comment or a question solely to her husband.

For Ranger and the contract's sake, I really tried to talk to only Mrs. Torrance or the guys but Mr. Torrance was real easy to talk to.

I was grossed out by the live worms we had to put on hooks as bait. I balked at doing this until Ranger produced a pretty blue lure for me to use. I was attempting my second cast when the line got all tangled up.

"Little lady, you seem to be all tied up."

"Yes, I am. I need someone to help untangle me."

Celeste Torrance became livid at that remark which wasn't even directed at her husband but anybody there. Someone had a bite on the line and I was ignored. When no one was looking Celeste bumped into me and I was knocked down. Definitely not an accident, but I couldn't call her on it because I found myself going headfirst into the river. I caught a current and went downstream for a bit. I started to panic which wasn't smart as I went underwater. The river fortunately slowed down I was washed ashore face down into the mud. Can you say gross! I can't believe that some people pay for mud baths.

When I picked myself up in the marshland by shore I saw two concerned brown eyes.

"Babe, pretty sure you not supposed to use yourself as bait. That is why I gave you the lure or we use the worms."

"Smartass," I said as the water dripped in my eyes.

Then Ranger did a remarkable thing in front of everybody, he gave me a bone melting kiss after he helped me up.

"I'm so sorry," Mrs. Torrance said to me sheepishly very embarrassed over what she had done.

"No problem, Mrs. Torrance," I said. "No harm after all. It is very hot and I did get to swim."

"You're very kind." Celeste turned around and said to her husband. "Simon, I made up my mind Rangeman would be perfect for our security."

"Yes dear, we'll draw up the contracts later. Heavens, Ranger it seems Stephanie has leeches all over her." Simon said.

"Leeches, leeches! Nasty blood suckers, why do these things always happen to me?" I whined.

"Shh, stay still, Babe. We'll have those suckers off you in no time."

True to his word, Ranger got everyone of those leeches off me. Rangeman signed a big fat contract. Celeste became a friend for life and soon sent more business our way. My fishing expedition wasn't a total washout. That was the day I went hook, line and sucker for Ranger and now he is mine.


End file.
